70 Years Of Electrification

A RAILWAY exhibition will be held at the Rayleigh Town Museum from October 2 to 31, celebrating 70 years since the completion of electrification on the Shenfield to Southend Victoria line in 1956.
The exhibition will feature rarely seen photographs documenting the final days of steam locomotives and the arrival of the first electric trains, offering a glimpse into a transformative period in the history of rail travel in Essex.
Rail services first came to Rayleigh on October 1, 1889, when the Great Eastern Railway opened the Wickford to Southend section of its new line.
The introduction of electric services on December 31, 1956, marked another significant milestone, replacing the intensive steam-hauled timetable and helping to reshape commuter travel across the region.
A total of 32 four-car units were built for the newly electrified route.
They are distinct from the Class 306 trains, which operated on the Liverpool Street–Shenfield route from 1949.
They were in service for over 40 years, and remained in operation until the early 1990s.
The exhibition runs for the whole of October, with opening times of Wednesday, Friday and Saturday10 am to 4pm, with free entry.
Picture: a train on the line.
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